Who Was the Smartest Inventor Ever?

If you look back at the history of the world, it’s difficult to recognize every single inventor. There are so many worth crediting for some of the world’s biggest advances. Electricity, cars, computers, and science are just a few of the categories where inventors have changed the world. 

Trying to rank the smartest investors ever isn’t an exact science, as many never took an IQ test. However, historians have attempted to identify which historically significant inventors have a giant IQ. Even across different eras, this is an incredible way to rank the world’s smartest inventors. 

20. Eli Whitney

With an IQ between 140 and 160, Eli Whitney offered significant contributions to industrial innovation. An American inventor, Whitney developed the cotton gin in 1793, which shaped the economy of the Southern states. Whitney’s work made cotton a profitable crop, and it is now used in a variety of products, including most of the clothes we wear. 

19. Samuel Morse

The inventor of the single-wire telegraph system, Samuel Morse, is best known for his “Morse code” technology. This development, single-handedly changed the nature of long-distance communication. A system of letters, numbers, and punctuation, Morse code still exists today in limited use, but remains no less important for how it advanced the world, thanks to Morse’s IQ of 140-160. 

18. George Stephenson

Known as the “father of railways,” George Stephenson was a mechanical engineer by trade. His IQ of 175 helped him develop the “Stephenson gauge,” better known as the standard size of a rail used around the world. Thanks to Stephenson’s invention, rail transport became one of the most important modern inventions of all time. 

17. Michael Faraday

An English chemist and physicist, Michael Faraday, discovered benzene, developed the Bunsen burner, and established the idea of an electromagnetic field. Field’s IQ of around 175 is a testament to his enduring influence as one of the most influential scientists and inventors in history. His work contributed to the development of the electric motor, which ultimately helped make electricity a reality. 

16. Tim Berners-Lee

One of the few inventors on this list still alive, Tim Berners-Lee was born in 1955. His IQ is estimated to be between 170 and 190. It’s this level of intelligence that helped Berners-Lee conceive the idea for the World Wide Web. This invention has laid the groundwork for the world we know today. The billions of web pages online today all owe their existence to this individual. 

15. The Wright Brothers

With both Wright Brothers having an IQ around 160-180, their contribution to the world cannot be ignored. The brothers are best known for designing the world’s first successful airplane. Their work, which showed that sustainable flight in the air is possible, would open the doors to a generation of aircraft. Designs such as roll, pitch, and yaw are still in practice today. 

14. Johannes Gutenberg

A German inventor, Johannes Gutenberg, developed the printing press, a notable invention for the world. Gutenberg’s design would lead to the spread of literature throughout Europe. It’s believed that Gutenberg assisted in the Renaissance, Reformation, and Humanist movements. Among other notable work, Gutenberg, with an IQ of 140-160, also created the first printed version of the Bible. 

13. Alexander Graham Bell

The telephone needs no introduction, as Alexander Graham Bell patented the first telephone. Bell’s invention revolutionized global communication, thanks to his IQ estimated between 160 and 180. Bell also invented the audiometer, a device used to detect hearing problems. After President Garfield was shot, Bell also developed a metal detector to try to locate the bullet. 

12. James Watt

Inventor, chemist, and mechanical engineer, James Watt made his mark on the world. The Watt steam engine, unveiled in 1776, played a critical role in the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain. With an IQ between 160 and 180, “watt” is now a unit of power, named after James Watt. Watt also introduced the pressure gauge, a way to measure steam pressure. 

11. Alan Turing

A mathematician, computer scientist, and cryptanalyst, Alan Turing is undoubtedly one of the most brilliant inventors of all time. His work in theoretical computer systems is unmatched. Turing, with an IQ between 185 and 200, is best known for helping to break the code of the German Enigma machine in World War II. Turing is also considered the father and inventor of artificial intelligence. 

10. Marie Curie

With an IQ between 180 and 200, Marie Curie is an inventor and pioneer in her field. Her work in radioactivity won her the Nobel Prize. Winning in both physics and chemistry, she wasn’t necessarily an inventor of products, but her work led to inventions that would change the face of modern medicine. She even developed portable X-ray units that could be used in the field during World War I. 

9. Benjamin Franklin

A name that requires no introduction, Benjamin Franklin, with an IQ of around 171-185, is one of the most prominent figures in American history. A founding father, Benjamin Franklin was an inventor, diplomat, statesman, and scientist. Among his notable works, he developed the Franklin stove, a safer and more efficient iron stove for heating. He also introduced early versions of swim fins, as well as the bifocal. 

8. Galileo Galilei

Famously known as the “father of observational astronomy,” Galileo Galilei was said to have an IQ between 180 and 200. Galileo is arguably best known for his work with telescopes, which led to many of his famous astronomical observations. Often described as a polymath, Galileo also made significant contributions to the study of gravity, free fall, and invented the thermoscope, as well as military compasses. 

7. Louis Pasteur

A French chemist, pharmacist, and microbiologist, Louis Pasteur was a fantastic inventor. His work in vaccination and pasteurization, facilitated by chemistry, led to incredible breakthroughs. With an IQ between 170 and 190, Pasteur helped create a process for heating food to kill microorganisms, as well as developing vaccines for rabies and anthrax. 

6. Archimedes

One of the world’s most important thinkers and inventors, Archimedes is said to have an IQ of 195-200. Among his works, he developed war machines such as the claw of Archimedes and the famous heat ray. He is said to have used “burning mirrors,” utilizing the sun’s rays to attack Roman ships with fire. As a result of his work, Archimedes is long considered one of the greatest mathematicians of all time. 

5. Isaac Newton

Born in 1643, Sir Isaac Newton had an estimated IQ of 195. During his time, Newton developed his laws that significantly enhanced our understanding of gravity, calculus, and optics. Newton is also credited as a co-inventor of calculus, a new branch of mathematics at the time that has been instrumental in the fields of physics and engineering. 

4. Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

A German polymath, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, collaborated with Sir Isaac Newton in the development of calculus. Leibniz would also go on to make significant contributions to the development of modern statistics. Often known as the “last universal genius,” due to his exceptional skills in various fields, Leibniz famously developed a mechanical calculator that was capable of performing basic calculations, thanks to his estimated IQ of 190-205. 

3. Thomas Edison

Arguably one of the most renowned inventors of all time, Thomas Edison is famously credited with inventing the incandescent light bulb. With an estimated IQ of 195, Edison was a pioneer in fields like mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. His relationships with Henry Ford and Harvey S. Firestone were instrumental in helping Edison bring many of his 1,084 patents to fruition. 

2. Nikola Tesla

One of the most incredible modern inventors, Nikola Tesla, needs little introduction. Known for his incredible experiments and colorful personality, Tesla played a pivotal role in the development of alternating current. Tesla’s AC induction motor was eventually licensed by Westinghouse Electric, earning him a bunch of money in the process. His IQ is estimated to be around 195-200. 

1. Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci lived long before IQ tests, but he’s widely regarded as the world’s smartest inventor. With an IQ estimated as high as 220, da Vinci is arguably best known for his paintings. Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. However, he’s also known for his designs around flying machines that set the stage for the helicopter, gliders, and parachutes. Additionally, da Vinci worked on ideas related to armored tanks and even created detailed drawings of a machine gun. 

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